


Sensei

by opalmatrix



Category: Saiyuki
Genre: Flash Fic, Gen, Humor, Mentor-Student
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-03-09
Updated: 2010-03-09
Packaged: 2017-10-07 20:11:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 458
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/68807
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/opalmatrix/pseuds/opalmatrix
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Goku discovers that humor is relative.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Sensei

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt from [**lady_ganesh**](http://archiveofourown.org/users/Lady_Ganesh/pseuds/Lady_Ganesh/); _Saiyuki Gaiden:_ Konzen, Goku, "levity" (Written for a set of flash fic I did in September 2009; no beta)

Konzen stalked along the pearl-colored path, raking one slender hand through his long hair and dislodging another shower of flower petals. Goku pelted after him, catching up quite easily.

"W-w-why didn't you laugh, Konzen?"

"Because I didn't think it was funny!"

"But it looked funny! Your head was all pink, and there was a leaf sticking out, and your shoulders - "

"And now I have flower petals and bits of twig inside my tunic! They itch!"

He stopped and stared down his aristocratic nose at the bedraggled child. Goku looked down and shuffled his bare feet.

"I didn't mean t' make ya mad."

"You didn't _think._ That's always the problem with you."

"'m sorry, Konzen."

Konzen sighed heavily and undid his broad gold belt, then shook out the silk of his white tunic. Small bits of debris rained down on the path at his feet. "It doesn't really matter," he muttered, as he put himself to rights. "Come on."

Goku grinned and raced ahead of him, veering off the path to run through a field of colorful meadow flowers. Suddenly he gave a startled yelp. There was a loud splash, and he disappeared from view.

Konzen stopped dead, his eyes widening, and then starting running himself. He pulled up just in time: the pond's edge was almost invisible under a mat of green leaves and rosy blossoms, water lilies and lotus. Goku was staggering to his feet, splashing and sputtering. Then he slipped and sat down abruptly, leaving only a few strands of brown hair floating between the broad leaves. Konzen's heart seemed to stop for a second.

"Goku!"

Slowly, the boy stood up again. He had a huge lotus leaf perched on his head, sagging and dripping halfway over his face, and a deep pink lily clenched in his white teeth. He was grinning around the stem, wet as a fish, utterly ridiculous and utterly adorable.

Konzen sank down slowly to sit on the ground, staring, and then dropped his face to his knees. His shoulders shook, and the child could just hear faint sounds of his muffled laughter.

Goku sloshed ashore carefully. Then he took the lily out of his mouth and gently pressed it into Konzen's limp hand.

"Ah, careful! You're dripping on me ... ." Konzen raised his head. His cheeks were flushed as he laid his other hand gently on Goku's wet hair.

"Konzen?"

"Yes?"

"Why was it funny when I was the one who got all messy and had a leaf on my head, but not when it was you?"

Konzen frowned and twirled the lily absent-mindedly for a few moments. Finally: "I think you're just better at laughing than I am, Goku."

He smiled faintly, got to his feet, and offered Goku his hand.

 


End file.
